Getting ready to hit the road for another assignment? The life of a travel nurse can be full of excitement and adventure, but it can also cause a ton of stress and inconvenience without the right preparation. To help you avoid this situation, we’ve made a list of 6 packing tips for travel nurses that are easy to remember and simple to do.
Let’s get started.
Tip #1: Find out how long you’ll be traveling
Being on the road distances you from a ton of society’s modern conveniences, e.g., department stores, specialty boutiques, and restaurants. Before embarking on the next journey of your life, find out exactly how long this trip is going to be. That way, you can come up with an appropriate estimate of items to bring on your trip. Some assignments may take nurses over a month to complete. Others may only last a few days.
Tip #2: Location, location, location
Our second travel nurse tip is to research details about your assignment location. Is the climate warm or cold? Does it rain a lot in the area? What activities can you participate in while you’re there? Will you need to get any papers or certificates while in the area, e.g., a driver’s license, IDs, a card to ride public transportation? Knowing details like this can help you get a better idea of what items you need to pack and what procedures you need to follow.
Tip #3: Personal care items first
If you’re someone who’s particular about the products you use on yourself, make sure you pack all your personal care items first. Everything from your skincare essentials down to your favorite brand scrubs. Some states or countries may not carry the product you’re using or perhaps may not have the model you’re looking for in stock.
For some women, this may also mean packing more period underwear than you normally would. You never know what period accidents may happen while you’re during your assignment. In this case, it’s better to be safe than sorry.
Tip #4: Travel light
Unless you’re planning to stay in a location for more than a couple of weeks, you don’t need to bring an excessive amount of things with you. Apart from really important papers and personal care items, everything else you need you can simply buy or rent while you’re in a foreign location.
Travel nurses need to be quick on their feet in case of emergencies or new assignments. Traveling light reduces the level of struggle that you may experience during each transition. So as much as possible, stick to the basics.
Tip #5: Consider compression bags
Running out of luggage space? Compression bags are nifty equipment that you can use to squeeze your clothing into tighter shapes, so you can easily squeeze them into your suitcase. They come in a variety of sizes and, most cases, in sets. The great thing about compression bags is that they can also keep your things protected from possible leakage in your bags, e.g., from lotions, oils, and creams from your personal care items.
Tip #6: Consider leaving behind unnecessary items
If you want to make more room in your suitcase, perhaps consider leaving a few items that aren’t technically necessary on your trip. For instance, you don’t need to bring along your entire library of books. Get a kindle and download all the titles you want to read on that single device.
Want to take amazing pictures of the sights you visit? Most mobile devices nowadays have cameras that can take HD images that are just as good or even better as larger cameras.
Pack it all up!
Packing for a nursing trip can be overwhelming, especially if this is your first time. However, with the tips that we’ve given you above, you should be able to manage packing without any trouble. Enjoy your next nursing adventure!
We hope you found this article with 6 packing tips for travel nurses helpful. Do you have any packing tips to share with fellow travel nurses? Comment them below.
Are you looking for your next travel nurse assignment? Click here to view our job board. Do you need housing for an upcoming assignment? Click here to search our housing page.
